It is known that treating waste waters containing suspended solids electrolytrically so that the water is exposed to a pair of oppositely charged, bare electrodes has the effect of neutralizing the waste particles so as to encourage them to flocculate and settle out. Positively charged particles migrate to the negatively charged electrode while negatively charged particles travel to the positively charged electrode. Once the charged particles have been subjected to the reactions taking place at the electrodes, the particles more readily combine with one another so as to separate from the liquid in which they are suspended.